The Blackwood Company is a minor faction based in Leyawiin. The Company mostly consists of Khajiit and Argonians. The Company takes jobs the Fighters Guild cannot or will not handle. They are reputed to accept any contract offered, to act recklessly and indiscriminately in their tactics, and to lack any screening process for new members. This is in contrast to the Fighters Guild who have a strict charter and set of rules to abide by. They are the main antagonists of the Fighters Guild questline.
History
Origins
The company originated in the swampy wetlands of Black Marsh and the Blackwood Forrest. Many of mercenary groups existed in these swampy areas, but the Blackwood company quickly rose to the top. The group is known to take jobs that other Mercenary groups would usually deny, such as guarding a Skooma Kingpin.
Expansion
They quickly expanded into Cyrodiil and made their Cyrodiil headquarters in Leyawiin. Blackwood quickly controlled the Mercenary market in southeastern Cyrodiil and Black Marsh. This was quick to anger the main mercenary group known as the Fighters Guild in Cyrodiil.
Secrets uncovered and Destruction
By the time of the Oblivion Crisis, the company was composed of mostly Khajiit and Argonians. They were the most prominent and the richest group of mercenaries in the Blackwood Forest. This put them at odds with the Fighters Guild, another mercenary Guild. As a result, a private investigation was done by Modryn Oreyn with the Hero of Kvatch as the investigator. In the quest "Infiltration" the Hero will investigate the Blackwood Company and find out that they are using Hist Sap to give company members a "boost." Hist Sap is the sap of the tree called Hist from the Argonian homeland of Black Marsh. Argonians are immune to the negative effects, however non Argonians will experience negative and often violent effects. This is why it is declared as an illegal drug like Skooma. The Hero can't get any Hist Sap after the quest.
How to Join
The Blackwood Company is only joinable as part of the Fighters Guild Questline. They have only two ranks of which only one is available to the Hero:
- Probationary Member
- Company Member
Members
- Ri'Zakar – Leader
- Jeetum-Ze
- Commander Ja'Fazir – Second-in-command of the Blackwood Company.
- Sergeant-of-Sharpshooters Geel
- Lieutenant Rana
- Ajum-Kajin
- Hears-Voices-in-The-Air
- Sings-Like-Thunder
- Maglir
- Jee-Tah
- Oleed-Ei
Blackwood Company Hall
The sign beside the entrance to Blackwood Company Hall in Leyawiin.
The Blackwood Company Hall is in Leyawiin across a plaza from its competition the Fighters Guild. There is a display case containing a Blackwood Shield; a heavy shield bearing the Blackwood Company crest, and also a Silver War Axe and a Silver Shortsword crossed at the hilt to resemble the same crest.
The second floor of the Blackwood Company Hall has a Nirnroot in a plant pot on the mezzanine. There is another in Jeetum-Ze's room.
Quests
Infiltration
Modryn Oreyn tells Hero that the information they got from Ajum-Kajin before he combusted was not enough. He tells them that they must join the Blackwood Company and find out the secret of their effectiveness firsthand.
The Hist
Furious with the Blackwood Company's vile illegal activities, Modryn Oreyn sends the Hero into their base to defeat Ja'Fazir and destroy the dangerously powerful Hist.
Seeking Your Roots
A Nirnroot can be found in the company's headquarters.
Trivia
- There has been much debate over the inspiration of the Blackwood Company, namely over perceived parallels with the real-world Blackwater Company. Blackwater trains and employs a force of "Private Contractors"- often serving as private security for its clients. Like Blackwood's Mercenaries, Blackwater's Contractors were accused and found to be endangering civilians and needlessly reckless.
- It is also possible that this is a reference to the Black Company in the series of books of the same name by Glen Cook.
- According to second-in-command, Commander Ja'Fazir, "'Blackwood' refers in part to the Blackwood Forest but it also carries reference to the 'thoghatt', or 'charcoal warriors' of Khajiit tradition."
- Ja'Fazir also says, "The Company provides expert jihatt for selected customers. Very discreet."
- The Blackwood Company is the subject of the Black Horse Courier article "A New Guild for Fighters?"